Most larger swimming pools, and, in particular, below ground pools include some form of built-in filtration and skimming system. A pump is provided for drawing water from the pool through various filters and strainers prior to returning the flow to the pool. A skimmer is usually provided for removing surface debris, such as floating leaves. Surface skimmers typically have an opening at the pool water level and are connected to the suction side of the pump such that surface water is drawn into the skimmer. This flow tends to draw surface debris into a collection basket within the skimmer enclosure.
Surface skimmers cannot remove debris which has settled to the bottom of the pool. In the past, pool owners would vacuum the bottom of the pool with a hose connected to the pump. More recently, a wide variety of pool-cleaning devices have been developed which operate automatically. Some of these devices float on the water and move around the pool circulating debris, forcing it towards the skimmer before it has a chance to sink to the bottom of the pool. A number of other devices have been introduced that are suction driven and move about the bottom of the pool. Examples of such devices are distributed by Arneson Products under the POOL VAC and AQUADROID trademarks.
The latter Arneson devices operate by connecting a flexible hose between the device and a suction source, typically the suction inlet in the skimmer. The suction source draws water through the device, powering internal turbines which enable the device to move around the pool bottom. Leaves and other debris at the bottom of the pool are sucked into the device and are passed out through the suction hose. Because the leaf basket in the skimmer must be removed to connect the suction hose to the suction inlet in the skimmer, an upstream leaf collector or trap is typically installed for catching the debris carried in the hose before it reaches the skimmer.
The underwater suction cleaners provide a very effective means for cleaning the bottom and walls of the pool. Unfortunately, because the hose is connected directly to the suction inlet in the skimmer, the skimmer is disabled while the device is in operation, such that floating debris will not be collected. In the past, pool owners have been required to manually connect and disconnect the cleaner's suction hose from the suction inlet to permit alternate operation of either the skimmer or the automatic pool cleaner.
In order to free the pool owner from this repetitive task, a valve was developed which automatically alternated the flow of fluid between the skimmer and the pool cleaner. This valve is described in U.S. patent application, No. 737,521, filed May 24, 1985, and now U.S. Pat. No. 4,643,217, issued Feb. 17, 1987, assigned to the same assignee as the subject invention and incorporated herein by reference. The indexable valve described therein fits into the suction inlet at the skimmer and receives the suction hose connected to the underwater pool cleaner. The indexable valve had two principal operating positions. In the first position, the valve was arranged to allow fluid to be drawn through the suction hose directly into the suction inlet. In a second position, fluid was allowed to pass into the valve directly from the skimmer. The valve indexed through a sequentially intermediate position whenever the skimmer pump was turned off.
The indexable valve described in the latter patent application operated quite well with existing time controlled filter systems. More specifically, most pool filtration systems operate on timers which cycle on and off during the twenty-four hour day. In fact, it has been shown that most efficient filtration occurs when the total operating time is broken down into a number of short cycles spread out during the day, rather than fewer, longer cycles. The indexable valve was designed such that every time the filtration system is turned off, the valve would shift through its intermediary position, to one of either the first or second positions. In this manner, the pool would alternately be skimmed or vacuumed automatically, throughout the day, without any intervention from the pool owner.
In the arrangement described above, wherein the suction hose is connected to the suction inlet of the skimmer via the valve, an intermediary leaf trap is mounted upstream from the suction inlet to collect the leaves before they pass into the skimmer. The separate leaf trap is necessary because the typical lint and hair screen at the pump has a very low collection capacity and can be difficult to reach and clean. In addition, when the screen is cleaned, suction is sometimes broken requiring the pool owner to reprime the pump.
Unfortunately, the use of a separate leaf trap has not been found to be particulary desirable since they are more difficult to clean than the standard skimmer basket. In addition, the pool owners have grown accustomed to and are more comfortable servicing a standard skimmer basket. Finally, the leaf trap typically is located in the water mounted between sections of the suction hose detracting from the visual esthetics of the pool.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a device which would allow an automatic indexable valve to be utilized in conjunction with the leaf basket in the skimmer. A partial solution to the problem would be to design a basket which has an opening to receive the suction hose. Properly configured, the basket would collect debris when the skimmer was operating. Unfortunately, when the underwater pool cleaner was operated, the fluid flow would still be channeled directly to the suction inlet in the skimmer, bypassing the basket. In addition, the pool owner would still be faced with connecting the valve to the suction inlet of the skimmer. Since the inlet openings in various skimmers tend to have different configurations, a variety of adapters are necessary to ensure compatibility of the valve with the inlet.
Accordingly, it is an object of the subject invention to provide a new and improved device which may be used in conjunction with a pool skimmer and an underwater pool cleaner.
It is another object of the subject invention to provide a new and improved device which will allow an underwater suction powered pool cleaner device to be used in conjunction with the pool skimmer without disabling the skimmer.
It is a further object of the subject invention to provide a skimmer cover plate mountable to a skimmer for receiving the suction hose of an underwater pool cleaner.
It is still a further object of the subject invention to provide a skimmer cover plate which can be mounted on a pool skimmer that includes an indexable valve, allowing alternate operation between an underwater pool cleaner and the skimmer system.
It is still another object of the subject invention to provide a skimmer cover plate which is mountable to a skimmer and allows the leaf collecting basket to be utilized in conjunction with both the skimmer and the underwater suction operated pool cleaner.
It is still another object of the subject invention to provide a skimmer cover plate which resists being dislodged by back pressure.
It is still a further object of the subject invention to provide a new and improved indexable valve.
It is still another object of the subject invention to provide a new and improved indexable valve which is mountable to a skimmer cover plate.
It is still a further object of the subject invention to provide a new and improved indexable valve with improved operation.